Forecast
by Msdoo Braed DxD
Summary: Yota was unnaturally keen; when he knew his time was up, not only did he let the gang keep the memory of friendship they've forged, but also left with a beautiful parting gift. It wasn't the best, but who's to complain?


First Author's Note That Must Not Be Ignored:

Hello gorgeous reader. Consider yourself lucky, and prepare yourself for a ride. That's right, although it's my FaNoWriMo entry, this story probably will not even arrive at more than half the plotline I've designed in my head at the end of the month. Also, you may have greater chance of understanding this first chapter if you've already watched Naruto Shippuuden episode 313-315 (Yota Arc). This is a single departure fiction with the divergent plot beginning at Yota's decision to make the gang forget, then AU afterwards. Needless to say, this is also my first Naruto fanfic; the only fandom I have written before this is Harry Potter series. The updates may not be frequent though. And I disclaim Naruto, in anime, manga, or any other franchise for that matter. This is 600+ words short to the daily quota of 1,667 words, so I shall compensate next time.

Oh, and this fic is dedicated to my two close friends So Noisy In My Head & Amber Emiaeon (though I doubt if they read Naruto fics at all).

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_On a mocking sunny day, amid the murmurings and mourning. . ._

_(falling, pained and lonely tears)_

_. . .sweat broke out in a quiver, and death embraced its fate._

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It was happening again. Yota was drowning. Still he could not ask for a better death. This time he was not sad and that was all that matters. And yet as he contemplated further… things could still be better, so much better in fact. And then with a jolt, he remembered something.

_Yota isn't like that! Yota is…the first friend…I've ever had!_

Uzumaki Naruto's confession would make most people (those who doesn't know about his tenant at least) happy or even flattered. But Yota wasn't most people. Time spent on working with the adults of his clan so much that their mature thinking started rubbing off on him, and gifted with a humble degree of sharpness, it didn't take much thinking to conclude that, for one to openly admit such startling confession, Naruto must have led a very lonely life. Naruto was an orphan.

Not only Naruto, but the others also seem to have their personal problems too.

Sakura's insecurity of her forehead and Choji's of his…_ehem-ehem_…chubbiness. Ino was such a nagger, and while Shikamaru's thinking was something to be applauded, his slack nature would obstruct it. And then, there was Kiba. His brashness could only be the result of his own upbringing at home and, to some degree, a loneliness he shares with Naruto.

Yota's body floated some more, and he could feel the beginnings of coldness, and water was clogging his lungs. He could hear the distant call of his name, and he knew it was _their _voice he was hearing. He decided he needed to think fast. Primarily he believed that making them forget the friendship they've forged would be the best option to go. However, there was Naruto and Kiba. What would happen to them if he did such, Yota dared not to venture, so he needed a different solution.

"YOTAAAAA!"

Their voices were getting louder, and death was catching up. Solution, solution, solution… Like the proverbial bulb brightening to its strongest intensity, Yota's mind came up with the answer. It wasn't perfect per se, but it was something to hope for.

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Naruto was getting worried. They've been looking for Yota for minutes now and there was still no sign of him.

"Yota!?" They all kept shouting, but to no avail until…

"Huh?" Naruto may have imagined it, but there on shore of the river lay tangled bunch of dark-brown hay.

As they neared the _thing_, Naruto was met with dreadful and horrifying realization: It was

"Yota!" "Yota, get a grip." "Yota…it's all right now."

Yota appeared worst for wear. His whole body was quivering, mouth caught in agonizing non-voice seemingly unable to talk.

Oh but talk he did.

"Thank goodness, everyone. It's okay now."

"No, you're the one who's okay! Snap out of it, Yota!" Naruto shouted.

"I'm already-"

"No, Yota," Choji said.

"I'm sorry. If I hadn't been so reckless…" Naruto whispered in a broken voice.

But everyone seemed to disagree, completely caught into knowing that, in some way, they were the ones to blame.

"It's my fault."

"We should've tried a different way."

"Yota!"

"Yota, I'm so sorry."

"Aw! Aw! Aw!"

"Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru, Sakura, Ino, Choji, Akamaru. It's time for me to go." Yota said in raspy voice, while raising his right hand. "I'll never forget about you guys. But you guys, will you forget me?"

"Of course not! How can we forget about you?!" Naruto replied in an incredulous voice, with everyone nodding in agreement. Naruto grabbed Yota's hand, and everyone put their right hand on Naruto's.

"Yeah, Naruto's right!"

"It's true, Yota!"

_I'm so sorry guys. To burden you with the memory of our friendship which is soon to end; but if you were to forget now, and remember at some point, that would be more painful. _Yota thought, tears sliding down his cold cheeks.

Bluish-white light began enveloping their hands, and before it could fade, Yota started talking, "When I met you guys, I was already dead. Don't feel sorry when we part ways from here onwards. I was reanimated, and then I met you guys. I was already dead. I was born into a clan that possessed the strange ability to control weather. We went from village to village. Selling weather was our trade. Even in my clan, I was especially good at controlling the weather. But I was born very weak, and so I died. I died but actually wasn't allowed to do so. The snake and the glass fellow said they were testing Reanimation, and they left me in your village. I was…so sad."

"Yota, I'm sorry we couldn't stay with you." Sakura tearfully said.

"Oh no, don't be sorry. You know, it was tough when I was alive. I was always alone, no matter where I went. But after I died, I wasn't alone anymore. I met all of you…And it was so much fun. I am probably going to be resurrected once again, but don't expect much from it. I am going to die here, but I have my memories of all of you, so it's not going to be hard. It's too bad it had to be this way, but at least life for all of you will be better from this time."

"You may not understand what I have said, but I'm not asking you to. All I'm asking is this: please don't forget about me. Moreover, don't forget of the friendship we've forged, however meager. Stay as each other's friends, and protect your comrades. Sakura and Choji, stop being shy of what you have, instead be proud of it. Shikamaru, stay sharp but abandon that lazy attitude. Ino, always maintain responsibility but don't nag. Naruto, stop being lonely. You too, Kiba. Always be happy guys."

"Yota," Naruto whispered, trying to smile but having tears flowing freely on his cheeks betrayed his attempt. He tried smiling harder, and continued, "Let's have more fun! Who cares about this Reanimation thing?! Let's do this all together, just like how we always did it! We'll be happy, and mad, and sad, and have fun!"

Snow started falling, and it was beginning to feel a little cold.

"Kon kon kon… Kon kon kon…" Yota smiled. "I'm so happy…I'm having fun…Everyone, thank you! I'm going now that I'm still happy. I have no regret now, I can really die now. Bye, bye Naruto…Everyone."

Yota was unnaturally keen; in that moment of perfect clarity, when he knew his time was running out, not only did he let the gang keep the memory of the friendship they've forged, but also left with a beautiful parting gift. The light got brighter and brighter every second, then suddenly, like a flame extinguished by water, the light dimmed and everyone fell on their back. There was no sign of Yota.

The snow stopped. There was a shift in the direction of wind, a fading echo of child's joyous laughter, and a whisper.

"I hope tomorrow is a sunny day."

But Yota couldn't have been more wrong.

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**Word Count:** 1,181


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